Blue and White: Inner East Emus

Under-18s

Coach – Peter Dickson

2012-13 Finish – Qualifying Finals

Under-16s

Coach – Matthew Bremner

2012-13 Finish – Runners-up

Under-14s

Coach – David Woodruff

2012-13 Finish – Finals

After a competitive 2012-13 Pathway Championship, the Inner East Emus are looking to take the next step.

Having claimed six wins during the last carnival, the Emus are keen to improve on their performances and press for some success in the upcoming Pathway Championships.

Reflecting on this, Regional Cricket Manager Shane Koop is hoping for an enhanced performance from last season.

“This competition is all about developing talented boys into consistent cricketers and quality young men,” Koop said.

“Winning is great and certainly assists with development but shaping the selected players as cricketers and people is the major focus for the Inner East Emus this season!

“We also place emphasis on the players to help create better club and school environments from what they have experienced from the Inner East Emus program.”

With squads picked for all three age groups, Koop has been pleased with what he has seen throughout the selection process.

“We’ve named our squads so the boys have now started training as a team,” he said.

“The mood has been really upbeat amongst the players and coaches, which is really pleasing to see, it’s clear the boys comprehend the opportunity that they have been provided.”

The under-18s have a strong line-up, with nine of the 13-man squad having played last year – including four bottom age players, including Liam Smith who topped the runs tally in the Dowling Shield.

Despite this, Koop is looking for balanced team performances.

 “The coaches believe they have really balanced squads at their disposal, it’s now about defining the player’s roles within the teams,” Koop said.

The under-16s will be hoping to take their success one step further after going undefeated through the group stage and finishing runners-up to the Northern Falcons last carnival.

Despite only retaining two players from their squad, Koop sees no reason as to why they can’t emulate the successes from last season.

“They performed quite well last season and we’re confident with this season’s squad,” he said.

The under-14s sport a vastly different squad, with 11 of the 13 boys new to the pathway program.

Koop hopes the boy’s introduction to pathway cricket will see the start of their development.

“What we want is for the boys to not only develop as cricketers and young men but also to gather an understanding of the Pathway Program and vast amount of opportunities that potentially lay ahead for them and their families,” Koop said.

For more information on the Victorian Bushrangers Pathway Championships, click here.